Student: Felipe Xavier Costa

Physics 340: Electromagnetism I Homework #6

1. Assuming that there are two solutions E1 and E2 of the electric field inside the volume, such
that the difference between them is E3= E1 E2 . Each of this field is related to a potential
i= V i , where i=1,2 or 3 . The potentials are related as V 3= V 1 V 2= (V 1V 2) ,
E

which means that V 3=V 1V 2 .According to Gauss' law, E1 =E2= , where is the
0
charge distribution over the volume. This means that E3 =E1E2 E3=0 , which
leads to 2 V 3=E3 2 V 3=0 . Setting up T =U=V 3 in Green's theorem, such that
V
^
[ V 3 2 V 3 V 3 V 3 ] d = V 3 V 3d a = V 3 ( V 3n)da=
V 3 n3 da
V
S of V
S of V
S of V
V 3
Using the above arguments, the equation is reduced to E32 d = V 3
da .
n
V
S of V
If the potential is known at the surface, it means that V 1=V 2 at the surface, leading V 3=0 at
the surface. If the normal derivative of the potential is known at the surface, it means that
V 1 V 2
V 3
at the surface, leading
=
=0 at the surface. Therefore, in both separate
n
n
n
2
situations the integral over the surface of the volume will be zero, leading E3 d =0 . As the
V

0 = E1 E2
infinitesimal element is non-zero, the only solution is E32=0 E3=0 . Ultimately
E1= E2 , which means that the solution is unique.
2. The boundary conditions to V ( x , y , z) state that V (x ,0, z )=V (x , y , 0)=0 and V 0 , as
x 2+ y 2+ z 2 y 20+ z20 . Using the method of images by taking of the conducting plates and setting
two charges q at (0, y 0 , z 0) and (0, y 0 ,z 0) , respectively, and also another charge q at
(0, y 0 ,z 0) . This would lead to a potential
1
1
1
1
V (x , y , z)= 2
2
2
+ 2
2
2
2
2
2
2
x +( y y 0) +( zz 0) x +( y y 0 ) +( z+ z0) x +( y + y 0) +( z z0 ) x +( y + y 0 )2+( z + z 0)2
Which obeys the same boundary conditions given above; therefore, this is the potential for
y >0 and z> 0 .
3.
a) This problem requires to solve Laplace's equation in 2 dimensions with the boundary
conditions given by V (x ,0)=V (x ,a)=V (0, y)=0 and V (b , y )=V 0 ( y ) . Given the

1 d2 f
=k
f dx 2
2
potential as V ( x , y )=f ( x )g( y) . This will result in V (x , y )=0
.
1 d2 g
=k
g dy 2
Because the last boundary conditions, to simplify the problem. The solutions to this
equations are f ( x)= A ekx + B e kx and g( y )=C sin (ky )+ D cos( ky) ; thus,

V ( x , y )=[ A ekx + B e kx ][C sin( ky)+ D cos (ky )] . Applying the boundary conditions will
result in:
1. V ( x ,0)=0
V (x ,0)=[ A ekx+ B e kx ][C sin (k 0)+ D cos(k 0)]=[ A ekx +B ekx ] D=0 D=0
V ( x , y )=C [ A ekx+ B e kx ]sin(ky)
2. V ( x , a)=0
n
kx
kx
V ( x , a)=C [ A e + B e ]sin (ka)=0 sin(ka)=0 ka=n k=
a
n
n

x
x
n
V n (x , y )=C n [ A n e a + Bn e a ] sin(
y)
a
3. V (0, y )=0
n
n

0
0
n
n
V n (0, y )=C n [ A n e a + Bn e a ]sin (
y )=C n [ A n +B n ]sin(
y)=0 A n + Bn=0 Bn =A n
a
a
n
n

x
x
n
V n (x , y )=F n [e a e a ]sin(
y ) , where Fn =Cn An
a
4. V (b , y )=V 0 ( y )
n
n
b
b
n
a
V n (b , y )=F n [e
e a ]sin(
y)=V 0 ( y)
a
n
By multiplying both sides of the equation by sin(
y) and integrating from 0 to a
a
in y , this will result in
a
n
n
a
b
b
n
n
n
a
a
F
[e
e
]sin(
y)
sin(
y)dy
=
V 0 ( y )sin (
y )dy
n

a
a
a
0
0
n

b
a
F n [e a e
2

[e
V n ( x , y )=

n
b
a

n
x
a

n
]= V 0( y) sin(
y )dy F n=
a
0
n

e a ]sin(
n
b
a

a [e

n
y)2
a

n
b
a

b
a

a [e

V 0 ( y ) sin(
0

2
e

n
y)dy
a

The general solution is the sum of all V n (x , y ) , such that

n
n

x
x
n
a
e a ]sin(
y)2 a
[e
a
n
V ( x , y )=
V 0 ( y )sin( a y) dy
n
n

b
b
n =1
0
a [ e a e a ]
b) In the case where V 0 ( y )=V 0 , a constant, the potential will be
n
n

x
x
n
a
a
[e
e
]sin(
y)2V 0 a

a
n
V ( x , y )=
sin(
y) dy

n
n
b
b
a
n =1
0
a
a
a[e
e ]
n
n
x

x
n
a
e a ]sin(
y)2V 0 a[cos( n )1]
[e
a
V ( x , y )=
n
n
b
b
n =1
a
a[e
e a ]n

n
b
a

V 0 ( y )sin ( na y )dy
0

4.
a) Because of the superposition principle the problem can be divided into two ones such that
the general solution is V ( x , y )=V 1 ( x , y)+V 2 (x , y) , where V 1 ( x , y ) and V 2 ( x , y ) are
the solutions to the problem 1 and 2, respectively. This two problems combined gives the
same boundary conditions as the one desired. They are the following:
1. V 1 (x ,0)=V 1( 0, y )=V 1 ( x , a)=0 and V 1 (b , y )=V 0 , which is the problem 3b.
n
n
x

x
n
a
a
[e
e
]sin(
y)2V 0 a [cos( n )1]

a
Therefore, V 1 ( x , y )=
n
n
b
b
n=1
a
a[e
e a ]n
2. V 2 (x ,0)=V 2( 0, y )=V 2( b , y)=0 and V 2 (x ,a)=V 0 , which is symmetrical to the
problem 3b, where it is just needed to change the y for x and a for b . Therefore,
n
n
y

y
n
b
e b ]sin(
x) 2 V 0 b [cos(n )1]
[e
b
V 2 ( x , y )=
n
n
a
a
n=1
b[e b e b ]n
Thus, the potential will be

V (x , y )=
n =1

[e

n
x
a

n
x
a

y
n
n
]sin (
y )2V 0 a [cos (n )1] [e b e b ]sin (
x )2 V 0 b[cos (n )1]
a
b
+
n
n
n
n
b
b

a
a
a
a
b
a[e
e ]n
b[e
e b ]n

b) If all the four sides of the pipe have a potential V i , which could possibly vary, the solution
would be the sum of the solutions of the problems in which only one side has a potential and
the others are grounded. To find the constant from the linear combination in each separate
solution, the Fourier's trick would be used.